falkirkbandit

I'm off tomorrow, so i'll be down. Mon the Bandits!

R.I.P Shazzybird.

Well done Bandits

I liked the old parades too. I'll always tell anyone that wants to listen, that Stevie Mac always did his practice starts in front of me on the back straight...cap back to front. But i quite like the way Edinburgh do the parades when i've been there the last two or three seasons. The Number 1's tootle round together, then the 2's etc. No helmets on there, but they do go on for the few laps of warming up, practice starts etc. Depending on the weather of course.

Same on friday night. 0, 1 then 3, 3. And he looked pretty classy in both his wins.

It was a decent crowd to be fair, just not many of us sadly. I did get four 70's speedway books from the stall by the tea bar for £8 though, including Peter Collins Speedway Books Volumes 1,2 & 3. So the night wasn't a total disaster haha.

Quite possibly the lowest amount of my fellow Bandits fans i've ever seen up there in the ten years i've been back in Falkirk. I'll be lucky if i saw half a dozen that i knew. Mind you, if i didn't live just 12 miles away, i probably wouldn't bother either. Highlight of my night - the fact that the roadworks folks had two guys manually operating the traffic lights on the main road outside, that enabled us to get the hell away from the place quicker than it would've been if they were just on automatic.

Just habit as i'm paid weekly on fridays. I pick up my copy when getting my shopping every week. I looked for you earlier tonight when i was over that way, but never saw you in your usual spot.

Brilliant preview issue this week. Since i moved back to Falkirk in 2004, i've always had my copy on order in a local newsagents in town. It moved location for a year or so then sadly just closed without any notice last summer. I'm so glad i can pick up my weekly copy in either Asda, Tesco, Morrisons or WH Smith on the High Street. Usually Asda on a friday morning before i head to work.

I had an absolute blast at the meeting yesterday, and a great way to start the new season for me. It was ace to catch up with speedway friends again too after a long winter, in the New Barrack Tavern beforehand and in the stadium. And i was chuffed to do my bit by winning Rory Schlein's race jacket in the auction afterwards. That'll get hung up on the wall tomorrow.

I'd have liked to have popped up, especially seeing as there's most of this seasons Bandits in the line up. But i've already committed to an evening in Glasgow with a few great Tigers pals for a birthday meal & drinks. Then it's off to Sheffield on saturday for Ricky's meeting. I hope it's a cracking night for Theo though!

And a visit on saturday evening too no doubt haha

Interesting letter to read. As a Bandits fan, obviously the Ricky Ashworth situation is a sad one. But i've often wondered if the two slide offs he had in April 2013 didn't help. I was at both meetings. One at Ashfield, and two weeks later the British Semi Final at Armadale. Both were pretty heavy falls into the fence. When he had his accident at Scunthorpe later that season, i've just often wondered if it was one bang to the head too many for him in such a short timeframe.

I'd already booked the Garrison Hotel over a week ago for Ricky's Testimonial before seeing the video. But seeing it the other morning before work just makes me more determined to make the drive down. I hope this meeting raises a ton of money for Ricky and family, to do all the things they need to do to the house for him etc. It's going to be an emotional day for sure...

I'd hope Kelvin would get a decent reception at Berwick next week.....from the fans that were old enough to remember when he rode for us! If i wasn't being paid, i wouldn't go to my work either!

Cracking win today. I've not made it to much speedway this season with working weekends, but i enjoyed that! I was glad to get on a train out of Glasgow again though. It's just mental with the Games on.

Bag packed, and car fuelled up for the drive tomorrow. See you at the bar folks

The wee man returns

I saw the picture on Facebook, good on you mate. Like me wearing the Tigers race jacket in the bar, after the recent meeting at Ashfield....its all fun and banter. The way it should be

Not forgetting Facebook too Screm, i've seen some utter drivel posted on groups, and pages on there during the season. I think people probably forget when they're posting things, that they've probably got friends on there, who actually run the show, or are riders etc. Here's hoping i've either found a more full time job....or a very wealthy woman by next season, so i can get back down more often on saturdays again

I wouldn't say speedway is expensive, for me...its the price of fuel that makes it difficult to get down to Berwick regularily anymore. Three years ago, i put £20 diesel in the tank, and that got me down and back no problem....£40 for the trip including admission, chippy and proggy. Now i'm at least £30 for petrol (different car), plus i already put £30 petrol in the car every week just to get to work, as i work out of town. I'm a Falkirk fan too, and thats £18 to get in to watch Scottish 1st Division football....now that to me is too expensive!

C'mon pal, it wasn't that long ago you were posting on FB, about getting reduced (or free) admission if you had the original programme (which you had), when the opposition hadn't met at Berwick since back in the day. Did you go tonight? If not, well some of us haven't seen our team for nearly three months now....and thats not through choice! But i'll tell you one thing, after the rain off about a month ago in Glasgow. I got my days off changed again, when the re-staging date was announced. I can't wait to see my team in action again tomorrow, win or lose. But i'll be with fab friends from both sides, and having a great time!

Berwick threads are the worst on here, always have been, thats why i, and many others don't really bother posting anymore. I always read Berwick related threads, but i can do that without logging in. But sometimes you just have to post!

Jesus, even when we get an FIM event, the nitpicking continues.

Yip, i'd do it all again. I had a great night catching up with pals i've not seen so much of this year, especially the Newcastle and Glasgow gang....what a laugh! Well done everyone concerned for getting that meeting on, and the riders for giving it a go. I thought the rain coming down to Berwick was bad, but that was nothing, compared to driving back up home after the meeting!